February is Black History Month. At Colorado Law, we are reflecting on nearly 130 years of our Black students making their mark on our law school and uplifting others within the wider community. 

The legacy of Black students who have come before continues to shape the experiences of current law students in profound ways. As we strive to broaden representation and foster a more welcoming and equitable environment within the law school and throughout the wider legal profession, the contributions and stories of these alumni provide both inspiration and a foundation for ongoing progress. 

Law schools in the United States have, like some other institutions, historically reinforced structural inequalities that have disadvantaged certain groups, particularly Black men. This meant that in the early years of law schools, there were relatively few Black law students. The earliest known Black law school applicant, John Mercer Langston, applied to a proprietary law school in Ballspa, New York, in 1850. He was rejected for admission, so Langston pursued apprenticeship to become an attorney. Nearly 30 years later, Harvard Law School admitted the first known university-trained Black lawyer, George Lewis Ruffin, in 1868.¹ Howard University, a historically Black University, opened its law school a year later;² and the University of South Carolina and University of Michigan Law Schools admitted Black students in the 1870s.³ While Black colleges and universities opened law schools and expanded educational access for aspiring Black lawyers, the majority of predominantly white institutions did not admit Black students for almost 100 years.⁴

The University of Colorado Law School is a rare exception, enrolling at least eight Black students from its opening in 1892 to the start of its Affirmative Action program in 1968.

The °ľÍř˝űÇř opened in 1877 with a somewhat gender-diverse, though not racially diverse, student body.⁵ Many of the university’s earliest alumni showed a penchant for legal studies, earning degrees first in Colorado before pursuing law degrees in the east.⁶ In 1892, the University of Colorado Law School opened its doors.⁷ The University of Colorado has never had an official system or policy of segregation regarding race or ethnicity,⁸ which meant that its law school also had no racial or ethnic discrimination policy either.

The absence of a formal policy of segregation allowed these five Black men and one Black woman to attend the University of Colorado Law School decades before most other predominantly white institutions opened their doors to Black students in the late 1960s,⁹ due to gains made during the Civil Rights Movement. Each of these six students were forerunners and, in their own ways, pivotal to the law school, the university, the state of Colorado, the Black community, and American society at large. Read their stories here. 

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Widely recognized for its intellectual diversity and originality, the faculty at Colorado Law encompasses an array of prominent legal scholars who are widely cited, both in academia and throughout the national media landscape. We invite you to catch up on the latest faculty publications and media mentions with this weekly round up.

Faculty Publications 

James Anaya, The Role of International Law, in (2024 ed.) 

Reya Roussel & Jonathan Skinner-Thompson, 50 HUM. RTS. 22 (2024). 

Media Mentions 

[Jonathon Booth], Brian L. Frye, Ipse Dixit (Jan. 27, 2025). 

[Violeta Chapin], Louise Callaghan , The Sunday Times (Jan. 25, 2025). 

[Violeta Chapin], Nicole C. Bramila, The Denver Gazette (Jan. 27, 2025). 

[Deep Gulasekaram], Elliot Davis Jr., US News (Jan. 27, 2025). 

[Deep Gulasekaram], AirTalk with Larry Mantle, KPCC (Jan. 21, 2025)(Gulasekaram's interview begins around 9:04). 

[Mark Squillace], Debra K. Rubin & Johanna Knapschaefer, ENR East (Jan. 27, 2025). 

Faculty & Staff Activities 

[James Anaya, Dean Lolita Buckner Inniss, Kristen Carpenter, CU Law], NARF (Jan. 24, 2025). 

Paul Campos, Lawyers, Guns, & Money (Jan. 24-31), blog posts  

[Scott Skinner-Thomspon], Lawrence Solum, Legal Theory Blog (Jan. 29, 2025)("highly recommended). 

[Scott Skinner-Thompson], Tracy Thomas, Gender Law Blog (Jan. 31, 2025). 

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Ursula Davy '25 and Nicole Genevieve Ela '25 share their experiences in the Civil Practice Clinic and reflect on their clinical experiences as a whole. Through their insights, they discuss how the clinic has influenced their career paths and the important role it plays in providing access to justice.

What drew you to the Civil Practice Clinic, and how does it align with your career goals?

UD: I’ll be focusing on labor and employment law at the firm I’ll be joining after graduation, which is why I was drawn to this clinic. I knew it would give me hands-on experience with issues related to my future practice. Since I’m pursuing litigation, I also saw it as a valuable opportunity to gain court experience.

NGE: I was looking for a way to gain practical experience in law school, something beyond what we learn in the classroom. I wanted to both prepare for my career and explore what areas of law I might be interested in, so I could test things out before committing to a job. Clinics offer one of the most in-depth ways to get that experience. Internships and externships are valuable, but you don’t have the same level of responsibility on cases as you do in a clinic.

What role do clinics like this play in economic justice?

UD: Clinics play a critical role. Most of our clients are low-income, and while there are other resources, this clinic provides one of the most realistic opportunities for these individuals to receive justice. I often wonder what would happen if they couldn't get legal representation—this clinic is essential in providing that support.

NGE: Many people go through the civil justice system without representation which is why I think the clinics play such a massive role in economic justice. Legal information can be hard to find and navigate, and there’s limited legal aid available. Clinics help fill in those gaps, offering a training ground for students while providing essential support to people who can’t access other legal services.

Has your clinic experience been what you expected?

UD: I would say it’s been even better than expected. Initially, I was nervous because I wasn’t sure what the cases would be like. Landlord-tenant law wasn’t an area I had considered, but I’ve come to appreciate it as a really important field. Professor Mountin is incredible! Even though the work is challenging, he’s made it enjoyable and rewarding.

NGE: In some ways, yes, and in other ways, no. I definitely got the hands-on experience I was hoping for, but it’s also expanded in ways I didn’t anticipate. Through the clinic, I’ve been involved with access-to-justice projects and other groups at the law school. The clinic has not only given me the skills and practice I wanted but also led me to other internships, research projects, and a deeper passion for a new area of justice.

What advice would you give someone considering clinics?

UD: I highly encourage everyone to do a clinic at some point. Externships are great—I did one myself—but in a clinic, you get to apply what you've learned in a real-world setting. It’s a great way to explore your interests while still having the guidance and support you need. You’re not just thrown into the deep end; you have mentors to help you along the way.

NGE: Clinics are an incredibly valuable experience. They offer something unique compared to other internships because you take ownership of your own cases, which you don’t get elsewhere. That responsibility is invaluable. It’s given me a lot of confidence going into practice because I understand how certain legal processes work. You’re guided by a clinical professor who helps you think through every step, and you also have a partner to work through any issues. The support system in place makes the experience much less intimidating.

There’s really no other experience like a clinic if you want to actually work with clients and handle real cases. It’s an invaluable opportunity that you can’t get from other types of legal experience or class.

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Widely recognized for its intellectual diversity and originality, the faculty at Colorado Law encompasses an array of prominent legal scholars who are widely cited, both in academia and throughout the national media landscape. We invite you to catch up on the latest faculty publications and media mentions with this weekly round up.

Faculty Publications 

Helen Norton,  JOTWELL (January 17, 2025) (reviewing Alan Chen & Justin Marceau, Truth and Transparency (2023)). 

Media Mentions 

[Violeta Chapin], Marty Lenz & Jeana Gondek,  KOA Colorado's Morning News (Jan. 21, 2025). 

[Violeta Chapin], Claire Lavezzorio,  Denver 7 (Jan. 21, 2025). 

[Deep Gulasekaram], Alexis Madrigal,  KQED (Jan. 22, 2025). 

[Maryam Jamshidi], Ali Harb,  Al Jazeera (Jan. 24, 2025). 

[Vivek Krishnamurthy], Yvonne Lau,  Financial Post (Jan. 20, 2025). 

[Blake Reid], Lauren Felner,  The Verge (Jan. 24, 2025). 

[Doug Spencer],  Vail Daily (Jan. 21, 2025). 

[Mark Squillace], Clare Fieseler,  Canary Media (Jan. 22, 2025). 

[Chris Winter, GWC], Austin Corona,  Arizona Republic (Jan. 18, 2025). 

Faculty and Staff Activities 

Paul Campos, Lawyers, Guns, & Money (Jan. 17-24), blog posts  

[Sloan Speck], Paul Caron, TaxProf Blog (Jan. 17, 2025). 

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We are thrilled to share the Professor Deb Cantrell recently released her book, Emotions, Activism, and Social Change. The book explores the role of anger in social activism, drawing from sociology, psychology, philosophy, and law. It contrasts activists' view of anger as a signal of commitment and justice with critics who see it as irrational and dangerous. The book suggests that perceptions of anger reflect societal power dynamics and rules on emotional labor, particularly around race and gender. It proposes shifting focus from individual emotions to relational contexts, offering new practices for using anger effectively in driving social change, including examples of legal reforms.

Learn more about the book in the following interview with Professor Cantrell. 

What inspired you to write this book? Was there a particular moment or movement?

DC: I was inspired to write my book for a few reasons. I have experience as an advocate in a few different social movements. Like most activists, sometimes I felt empowered and energized by the work, while other times I felt ineffective and demoralized. Writing this book gave me a chance to step back and reflect on those shared activist experiences and try to unpack them, especially because the emotions involved were so conspicuous. 

Next, I always am intrigued when I encounter contradictory narratives, and there are some prominent ones in social movement work. For example, “you can only be a good activist if you’re angry” compared to “angry activists aren’t helpful because they act irrationally.” My book gave me a chance to dig into why those kinds of contradictions exist and how each could be accurate and inaccurate at the same time. 

Finally, I have found the last handful of years very challenging in terms of how often social discourse is antagonistic and unyielding. I wanted to see if I could offer some thoughts about how to disrupt that pattern—whether within social movement work or beyond. 

 Why did you choose to focus particularly on anger among the range of emotions involved in activism? What makes anger a pivotal emotion in social movements?

DC: I suppose I’d note first that, to me, the book focuses as much on love (or lovingkindness) as it does on anger. To my mind, those two emotions travel together in social movement work. The lead chapters of the book start with anger because my own experience and the research both suggest that anger often is the emotion that comes most readily to mind when we think about social activism. And, it’s an emotion that generates complicated and competing beliefs for people. So, I thought it would be helpful and necessary to spend some time unpacking those beliefs about anger before offering thoughts about love.

Can you provide a specific example from the book of social change involving changing the law, and how this demonstrates the way in which a new approach to anger can be effective? 

DC: My main worry about anger leading activism is that it discourages activists from building a large enough group of supporters to be able to have the power to change the law. I argue that anger fosters disconnection, but social change requires expanding connection. I offer the marriage equality movement as an example of how social change typically requires people to come together across a range of perspectives in order to actually have enough power (political and otherwise) to change the law. I describe how efforts by lesbian mothers in the ‘60s and ‘70s to successfully litigate for their parental rights laid some foundation for the idea that a “family” could be something other than a married heterosexual couple with children. That expanded idea of “family” gained traction in the LGBTQ community and stimulated conversations about redefining marriage and changing laws to allow for “gay” marriage or “same sex” marriage. That then triggered notable social and political backlash, including in our own state of Colorado. 

To move forward, advocates had to build a bigger coalition and that included bringing in more folks beyond the LGBTQ community. The conversation about “same sex” marriage became one about “marriage equality”—a subtle shift, but one that put the focus on the dignity of any two people who wished to commit to a marriage, and that shift built connections beyond the LGBTQ community. But, that shift also meant that activists within the LGBTQ community needed to set aside disagreements about whether marriage did, or did not, reflect a history of paternalism that was too problematic to ever support. Those disagreements within the community often were heated. I argue that the marriage equality movement succeeded not because the disagreements about marriage were resolved, but because enough people believed that there was common ground on which to build connections and solidarity. In turn, that brought in more people, which built the power needed to change laws.

Based on your research, where do you see the future of activism heading, particularly concerning the role of emotions?

DC: My own view of “activism” is that it is less an object that can be studied and is more a dynamic and constantly changing set of interactions between humans who do and don’t agree with each other. So, I continue to be very interested in the dimensions of human relationality that seem to be most critical to community building. I think one of the most important take-aways that I have from working with the terrific body of research out there on social movements is that no one perspective tells us everything. I hope the perspective that I offer in my book about emotions is useful. Even more, I’m hoping that it prompts responses that then help me refine my knowledge. I’m eager to see where that takes my research.

What do you hope readers will take away from your book?

DC: All of us, all the time, are part of webs of relationships. Relationality is part of what it means to be a human being, and it is a less a choice, and more a fact. We are more likely to flourish if we can engage our webs of relationships positively and supportively, but that also means we have to be open to finding common ground with others. We find common ground less often through anger, and more often through lovingkindness. Social change requires a big tent in which people cultivate unexpected connections instead of valorizing unnecessary differences. So, find ways to interrupt habits that rely on caustic anger and replace them with habits that sound in more connective emotions, like lovingkindness. 

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Faculty publications

Maryam Jamshidi,  2024 U. Chi. Legal F. 161 (Westlaw login required).

Melanie Kay, Ronald M. Sandgrund, & Lindley Brenza (participants),  Colorado Lawyer 20 (Dec. 2024).

Media Mentions

T. Markus Funk [Colorado Law adjunct] & Ella Ulhade,  (January 4, 2025, Bloomberg Law).

[Blake Reid], Adi Robertson,  The Verge (Jan. 10, 2025).

[Blake Reid], Makena Kelly,  Wired (Jan. 10, 2025).

[Blake Reid], (Jan. 10, 2025)(Blake Reid & tech reporter Brian Fung debrief arguments on Twitch, Reid appearance begins around 3:16:50).

Faculty & Staff Activities 

Paul Campos, Lawyers, Guns, & Money (Jan. 3-10), blog posts 

Christopher Mueller received the 2025  (awarded at the AALS Annual Meeting).

Schultz Lecture in Energy with Tommy Beaudreau, GWC (upcoming, Feb. 25, 2025). 

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Widely recognized for its intellectual diversity and originality, the faculty at Colorado Law encompasses an array of prominent legal scholars who are widely cited, both in academia and throughout the national media landscape. We invite you to catch up on the latest faculty publications and media mentions with this weekly round up.

Faculty Publications 

T. Markus Funk [Colorado Law adjunct],  Ohio St. L. J. (2025).

Jennifer Hendricks,  51 Hastings Const. L.Q. 177 (2024).

Derek Kiernan-Johnson,  5 Proceedings 18 (2024).

Media Mentions

[T. Markus Funk]. Thy Vo,  Law360 (December 17, 2024) (discussing Colorado adjunct Markus Funk as a contender for US Attorney).

[Sarah Matsumoto], Bobby Macgill, , Bloomberg Law (Dec. 31, 2024).

[Wadie Said], Nimo Omer,  The Guardian (Dec. 30, 2024).

[Mark Squillace & Andrew Teegarden, GWC], Heather Sackett,  Aspen Journalism (Jan. 2, 2025)(Lexis login required).

[Korey Wise Innocence Project], Sam Tabachnik, , Denver Post (Dec. 24, 2024).

Faculty and Staff Activities 

Paul Campos, Lawyers, Guns, & Money (Dec. 20-Jan. 3), blog posts 

Vivek Krishnamurthy, TLPC, & Bolo Bhi,  Samuelson-Glushko Technology Law & Policy Clinic (Dec. 20, 2024). 

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Faculty Publications

Deborah J. Cantrell,  (Carolina Academic Press, 2024).

Jennifer Hendricks,  63 American Studies 

(2024).

Media Mentions

[Deep Gulasekaram], Elliot Davis Jr.,  US News (Dec. 19, 2024).

Faculty & Staff Activities

Paul Campos, Lawyers, Guns, & Money (Dec. 6-13, 2024), blog posts 

[Immigration Clinic], Erin Calkins, Navigating Uncertainty: The Clinical Education Program Supports Immigrant Communities, Colorado Law (Dec. 12, 2024). 

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Hunter Parnell ’26 and Natalie Mousa ’25, students in Colorado Law’s Immigration Clinic, share their experiences advocating for immigrant clients in the current political climate.

Why did you choose to participate in the Immigration Clinic?
HP: I chose the Immigration Clinic because I came to law school to become a public defender. Many clients who go through the criminal legal system also have immigration-related issues tied to their cases, and I wanted to learn how to support them effectively.

NM: I chose the Immigration Clinic for several reasons. I wanted to explore different areas of law, and this clinic gave me the chance to gain courtroom experience while also working on immigration and criminal law cases. Additionally, I have non-U.S. citizen family members and friends, and I wanted to learn more about immigration law to better support them.

How do you anticipate the election results affecting the clients you serve?

HP: For clients facing criminal charges with immigration consequences, they’re entitled to a public defender, which provides them some level of protection. But for people dealing only with immigration issues, the situation is much less certain.

We’re especially concerned about DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and TPS (Temporary Protected Status) recipients. If the administration ends DACA and TPS, it’s unclear what will happen to these individuals. Many DACA recipients have lived in the U.S. since they were 1 or 2 years old, and without a path to citizenship, their futures are in limbo. Similarly, many TPS recipients have been in the U.S. for 10 to 20 years, and the countries they left are now unfamiliar to them.

There are over 1 million asylum seekers stuck in a backlog, and they face unique risks because they are not entitled to an attorney. This is a significant concern for the clinic because these individuals, who tried to follow the rules, will be the easiest targets for enforcement.

NM: I’ve been getting a lot of emails from clients who are worried about what’s going to happen. We don’t have many answers yet, but clients are eager to move forward with their cases out of fear that the new administration might delay or deny their applications. We’re trying to advise them on how to stay safe and navigate these uncertainties.

How might the clinic’s advocacy efforts change given the political climate?
HP: We’re focusing on outreach to these vulnerable communities. Our goal is to partner with organizations to provide education and resources so people are better prepared for what might happen.

NM: We’ve talked about hosting focus groups on areas the administration may target and holding more information sessions to provide general advice and resources. Our goal is to support as many people as possible.

What has been your greatest takeaway from your clinic experience so far?
HP: I’ve realized just how broken our immigration system is. Many people genuinely want to follow the rules, but the system makes it nearly impossible for them to comply. It’s a system built on luck.

For instance, if a DACA recipient marries a U.S. citizen, they have a pathway to citizenship. But if someone was brought here as a child without DACA protections, there’s no pathway at all. It’s fundamentally unfair and frustrating. This experience has opened my eyes to how many people in our communities have undocumented or uncertain statuses, and how difficult it is for them to navigate this system, even when they want to do things the right way.

NM: The courtroom experience has been invaluable. I’ve learned how to communicate with judges, handle opposing counsel, and navigate courtroom procedures. Building trust with my clients and knowing I’m making a positive impact in their lives has been deeply rewarding.

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Widely recognized for its intellectual diversity and originality, the faculty at Colorado Law encompasses an array of prominent legal scholars who are widely cited, both in academia and throughout the national media landscape. We invite you to catch up on the latest faculty publications and media mentions with this weekly round up.

Faculty Publications 

Harry Surden & Andrew Coan, SSRN.com (Nov. 12, 2024).

Media Mentions

[Maryam Jamshidi], Sondos Asem, Middle East Eye (Nov. 8, 2024).

[Blake Reid], Academics Concerned Over Accessibility in Broadband, Media, Websites,  Communications Daily (Nov. 12, 2024)(Lexis login required).

[Korey Wise Innocence Project], Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post (Nov. 13, 2024).

Faculty and Staff Activities

[Nathan Boyer-Rechlin, GWC], GWC Welcomes New Acequia Assistance Project Director, Colorado Law (Nov. 7, 2024).

Paul Campos, Lawyers, Guns, & Money (Nov. 8-15, 2024), blog posts

[Dale Hatfield, SFC ], National Chengchi University (Nov. 13, 2024).

[Amanda Parsons], Paul Caron,TaxProf Blog (Nov. 14, 2024).

Harry Surden, & Monday Bagel Bytes: Legal Tech & AI Podcast (Nov. 2024). 

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